Departure Checklist
- Remember to confirm acceptance to USC.
- Students with acceptance to multiple institutions must contact the other institutions and decline their offer.
- Contact the local US embassy/consulate in your home country to find out if they hold a pre-departure orientation for students studying in the US. Students may meet others who will also attend USC at these orientations.
- Students who are being sponsored by an organization (especially J-1 students) should notify that organization of their plans. Maintain contact with the sponsoring organization, who can assist with pre-departure arrangements.
- Check whether the academic department offers a departmental orientation. If so, students should contact their academic department and confirm their attendance. Students can also inquire if the department provides any assistance with housing, roommates, on-campus jobs and assistantships.
- Students should keep in contact with the person who is going to pick them up from the airport. Carefully check and confirm the arrangements and details of pick up location at the LAX airport. Students should always have a backup plan and they should confirm all details 48 hours before departure.
- Designate a friend/relative or contact at or around USC to be an emergency contact, in case of an unforeseen problem. This person should have a detailed and updated schedule of the student’s travel plans. Students (and someone in their home country) should also keep this person’s phone numbers (cell phone, work, and residence) while traveling.
What to Pack
OIS has compiled a list of items recommended by most USC international students that new international students should bring from their home country: